A male model stopped with €570,000 in cash as he prepared to board a flight from Dublin Airport has refused to answer whether he was transporting the money for a third party.

Mark Andrew Adams (36) was detained by Revenue officials on Friday shortly before he was due to take a flight to Brussels.

Police at the airport swooped on the 36-year-old shortly after 7am in what as been described as "an intelligence-led operation".

Mr Adams, who has starred in several TV adverts and worked with a number of Irish modelling agencies, is on leave from his role as a security officer at the airport while he pursues a modelling career.

Approached by the Sunday World outside his Malahide home yesterday afternoon, the 36-year-old declined to comment about the seizure.

“I can’t actually talk to anyone at the moment. My solicitor is dealing with it. You’ll have to contact him.”

Asked if the €570,000 taken by Revenue officials belonged to him or if he had been transporting it for a third party Mr Adams refused to answer.

“I can’t talk to anyone,” he added.

The model was questioned at the airport for several hours by Revenue officials before being released.

It is understood that Mr Adams was under surveillance from the time he arrived at the airport Friday morning for his outbound flight to the Belgium capital.

"There has been suspicion around this individual's activities for some time. Customs officers searched his luggage and found the large stash of cash," a source told the Irish Independent.

In recent years the 36-year-old has forged a career as a model and occasional television presenter.

On his Facebook, he lists a number of awards including the Stellar Magazine Bachelor of the Year and Best New TV Presenter of the Year.